


Be True To Yourself

by Hekmugi



Category: Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart (Cartoon)
Genre: Coming Out, Domestic Fluff, Holding Hands, Kissing, Multi, Pride Parades, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:54:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24829426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hekmugi/pseuds/Hekmugi
Summary: A story surrounding the Mao Mao Pride Week 2020 event. Read more about it here: https://maomaosmother.tumblr.com/post/619730610710364160/mao-mao-pride-week-2020
Relationships: Badgerclops/Mao Mao Mao, Benny & Penny (Mao Mao), Muffins/Scoops (Mao Mao)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 67





	1. Coming Out

**Author's Note:**

> I forgot about this, so I'm starting late. Oh well!  
> In this setting, the events of this chapter take place before they arrive in Pure Heart Valley.  
> Thank you to HauntedClock for beta'ing this chapter!

Tanya Keys.

Mao Mao wasn’t sure if that counted as a fling or a proper relationship. The time they had spent together as partners was a haze in his mind. Even now, staring at the ceiling of the two-bed hotel room that he and his new associate had shacked up in, he could recall several long nights that he and the tanuki had spent together--stakeouts, interrogations, and...

His muscles clenched, squeezing the pillow he held in his arms tighter against his chest.

He missed the companionship they shared. Ever since they had their falling out _ — _ since he stormed off into the night with only the clothes on his back and his trusty Code _ — _ he hadn’t allowed himself to get close to anyone. Not like the two of them had. He didn’t think he could put up with it again.

Still, there were nights where he missed the contact. He missed having someone’s hand to hold, or a shoulder to press his face into. He missed the warmth of someone else’s body pressing against his, or the tightness of a full-bodied embrace as eager lips parted for one another, sending a flurry of emotions bursting from his chest and leaving him wanting more. For _ — _

“You alright, dude?”   


  
Mao Mao blinked, drawn out of his cascading memories by his partner’s inquiry. At once he became aware of his labored breathing, and the tight grip that he held the pillow in. He cleared his throat before turning to the badger.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I was just… dreaming.”

“Nightmare?”

Mao Mao shook his head. “The opposite, actually.”

The cat’s ears bent back slightly as he heard a stifled chuckle from the adjacent bed. “Nice.”

Mao Mao exhaled through his nose in a short, sharp huff. Had he known how sassy his new companion was, he probably wouldn’t have offered a hand to him. It was grating, having another person in his life who always felt like they had to get a word in edgewise. While he acknowledged that he needed a new partner, he wasn’t willing to accept having someone following him around who made him second-guess himself.

Mao Mao had always seen himself as a man of absolutes. When he made decisions, they were resolute. In the midst of combat, where a moment’s hesitation could mean the difference between life and death, there was no room for second-guessing. It had been drilled into him from an early age that one must be confident in the decisions they make. That meant trusting oneself. He found it considerably harder to trust his own decision-making when he had someone in his ear telling him he was wrong, or that he was going to get himself hurt.

The first time Badgerclops physically restrained him to keep him from “acting rashly”, he was furious. Not even Tanya had been so bold as to grab him by the back of his neck and immobilize him. He raved at Badgerclops for the better part of an hour after the fact, admonishing him for the breach of trust and personal space and berating him for not letting him handle himself.

He ended up apologizing that same night, after he had some time to think about it. As much as he hated to admit it, Badgerclops had been right. In fact, it was Badgerclops’ quick decision-making that prevented Mao Mao from making a wrong move. He expected to get nagged at, or for Badgerclops to lord it over him like Tanya would have.

Instead, Badgerclops pulled him into a quick hug and told him he was just looking out for him.

Mao Mao wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

Even now he wasn’t sure what to think about that experience. That was the first time in months that someone had gotten that close to him; the first time in months that someone had hugged him. A man, no less. He knew about Badgerclops’ preferences, but he had made it clear to him early on that he didn’t have any feelings for him.  _ ‘We’re just friends, and I’m cool with that. I don’t wanna make it awkward’, _ as he put it.

That was good. It was a relief as well, because otherwise Mao Mao wasn’t sure how he’d feel about being so close to him as often as they were.

Still, he was feeling restless. He craved a form of intimacy, now that he knew how wonderful it could be. He hadn’t tried to meet anyone since then, and even if he were to start, he knew that the kind of lifestyle he and Badgerclops had adopted didn’t lend itself well to settling down. For quite a while now, the only person he was in close, constant contact with was him.

Mao Mao sighed, kicking the pillow off of him.

  
“Hey, Badgerclops.”

It felt like a breach of trust.

Badgerclops turned to the cat. “What’s up?”

A nagging voice in his head warned him of how awkward things could become.

“Could I ask you for a favor?”

There would be no way of taking it back once he asked.

“Totally. whaddya do you need?”

  
  
He wasn’t even sure how he could play it off if it didn’t work.   


  
“I need to figure something out.”

And, worse, he’d feel guilty about leading him on.

“Sure.”

He could only hope he’d understand.   
  


“Could you, uh…” Mao Mao stopped, closing his eyes. “Could you kiss me?”

The bed creaked as Badgerclops sat up.

“Excuse me?”

“Look,” Mao Mao sat up as he opened his eyes, looking towards his partner, “it’s been a… really long time since… anything like that, for me. I’m just curious if I’d ever be into that… that kind of thing, y’know? So, just... if you’re comfortable with it, give me a quick peck on the cheek. If I’m not into it then that’s that, alright?”

Mao Mao expected Badgerclops to laugh him off, or to call him crazy and tell him to go to bed. That made it all the more surprising when Badgerclops approached Mao Mao’s bed and leaned towards him.

  
“On the cheek, right?”   
  


“Y-yeah.”

Badgerclops put a paw against the side of Mao Mao’s head. “Alright.”

Badgerclops leaned in, tilting his head as he planted a small kiss on the cat’s cheek. He held his head there for just a second before pulling away, removing his paw.

“How was that?”

Mao Mao gulped. “Damn it.”

“Hm?”

“I… I liked it.”

Badgerclops’ eye widened. “Oh! Well, uh… guess you know, now.” He chuckled nervously.

Mao Mao reached for Badgerclops, putting a paw on his shoulder. “Hold on. Could we…”

_ ‘Oh my god, what am I doing?’  _

“Could we, uh… try some more stuff?”

Mao Mao’s mind screamed at him...

“Mao… I didn’t think you were like that. Are you… are you sure?”

...but he had already made his mind up.

“...Yeah.”

Badgerclops climbed onto the bed, bringing himself on top of the cat. They stared into one another’s eyes as Badgerclops supported himself by his paws.

“So, uh…” Badgerclops giggled. “What did you want to try?”


	2. Parade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The annual Festival of Love is coming up!  
> Mao Mao doesn't wanna go.

The Festival of Love. It was a yearly event for Pure Heart Valley, though this was the first time that either Mao Mao or Badgerclops had heard of it. As innocuous and predictable of an event as it was, Mao Mao wasn’t interested in participating.

  
“Of course, Your Grace,” Mao Mao spoke into his cell phone, his voice masking his visibly frustrated face, “we would be more than happy to pull security for the event. We’ll be there bright and early tomorrow. Mhm, you’re welcome. We’ll see you there tomorrow. Goodbye.”

  
Mao Mao tossed his phone to his side, sending it bouncing along the couch cushions and landing against Badgerclops’ thigh. The sheriff groaned as he dragged his paws across his face. “ _ Why did it have to be us _ ?”

“I dunno, Mao,” Badgerclops said, picking up the phone and offering it back to him, “it sounds like fun.”

“There’s nothing  _ fun _ about some love fest.” Mao Mao grumbled as he retrieved his device. “Besides, it’s not like we’re going to have anything to do there.”

“Well,” Badgerclops said, holding a paw up, “we’ve been going steady for a while. It’d be a good opportunity to ‘come out’ to everyone.”

Mao Mao crossed his arms, looking away. “I don’t see the point.”

“That  _ is _ the point, man.” Badgerclops said, reaching a paw to Mao Mao’s shoulder. “You’re embarrassed of this—of  _ us. _ You shouldn’t be! I’m not embarrassed!”

The sheriff’s eyes looked to the floor, avoiding the sight of his deputy. “I’m not embarrassed, Badgerclops. It’s… unnecessary. Our,” he hesitated, “ _relationship_ _status_ … is on a need-to-know basis. And they don’t need to know. Nobody does.”

Badgerclops scoffed, retracting his paw. “You can’t keep this a secret forever, man. It’s not just your relationship, it’s ours. I’m happy being with you, and I want everyone to know it. I mean, look at Penny and Benny! You couldn’t pull those two apart if you tried, and everyone thinks it’s adorable! They’re proud of who they are, so why can’t you be?”

“I—” Mao Mao sputtered, his thoughts scattering as he stopped himself from arguing further. Sighing, he hunched his shoulders and closed his eyes. “Look. I’m not comfortable with doing things like Penny and Benny. I don’t need to walk around town holding your hand to prove my relationship to the world. Alright?” Mao Mao said, putting a paw to his chest. “It doesn’t mean I’m embarrassed of you, or  _ us _ . I wouldn’t deny us being in a relationship if anyone asked, but they don’t. And I don’t want them to. Like you said, this is  _ our _ relationship, not theirs.”

It was Badgerclops’ turn to sigh. “Alright, man, I get it. I won’t force you to do anything you don’t wanna do.”

Mao Mao turned to Badgerclops, smiling. “Thank you, Badgerclops.” He reached a paw towards the deputy, rubbing his shoulder.

“However,” Badgerclops said, reaching a paw of his own towards the sheriff’s back, “since we’re gonna be there anyway, I do want to make a request.”

Mao Mao’s ears drooped. “ _ Oh boy. _ ”

“While we’re pulling security for the back of the parade, I wanna hold hands. I’m not asking you to kiss me in public, but I do want to, like, participate a  _ little _ .”

Mao Mao felt the ‘ _ no _ ’ in his throat. His tongue pushed against the roof of his mouth, an exhale away from shooting down his partner’s completely reasonable request, but he had made a critical error. Now that he was looking at Badgerclops, his eyes were set on the deputy’s bright, placid smile. The confident expression radiated joy and reassurance, and further served to break down the walls that Mao Mao had erected around himself.

“Oh…” Mao Mao groaned, moving his paw from the deputy’s shoulder to the side of his face and giving it a squeeze. “Alright.”

He wasn’t surprised when Badgerclops thrust him forward, constricting his arm around his back and pressing him into his fluffy chest. The deputy’s second arm deftly drew itself around the sheriff’s back, trapping him in a tight embrace.   


  
“Oh, thank you, bro! This is gonna be great!”

“ _ Yeah,” _ Mao Mao muttered into his fur, “ _ love you. _ ”

“I love you too!” Badgerclops declared, kissing against the sheriff’s forehead with an audible smack.

* * *

The town square was even more colorful than usual. From rooftop to gutter, on every streetlight and windowsill, were pennants and flags bearing a litany of colors. Rainbows of streamers were strung along every elevated place, and the kingdom’s usual banners were replaced with multi-colored variants.

Mao Mao gestured to a row of the flags. “I get the rainbows, but what’s with some of these designs?”

“Really? You haven’t seen ‘em before?” Badgerclops asked, surprised. “How long’s it been since you followed up on this stuff?”

“What ‘stuff’?”

“The… like… pride stuff.” Badgerclops said, putting a digit to his mouth. “I guess that’s what they call it now?”

“I have plenty of pride. What does that have to do with this?”

Badgerclops snickered. “Not that kind of pride, Mao. Or, like,  _ yeah _ that kind of pride too, but—”

  
  
“You’re not very good at explaining this.” Mao Mao quipped with a smile.   


“And you probably think you could do better, you little  _ narcissist _ ,” Badgerclops snapped back, rustling his forehead with a paw.

“Hey, quit it!” Mao Mao shouted as he laughed, shoving Badgerclops’ hand away. Before he could pull back, the deputy shot a paw back at Mao Mao’s raised hands and took hold of his glove.

The smile disappeared from the sheriff’s face as he came to realize that his left paw was securely in the grip of Badgerclops’ right. He flexed his paw, only to find that Badgerclops had no intention of letting him go.

“C’mon, now.” Mao Mao muttered, his ears drooping. “Cut it out.”

“Nuh-uh,” Badgerclops stated, squeezing the sheriff’s paw. “You promised.”

“Yeah, but—”

“Sheriff!” A familiar, feminine voice exclaimed from behind the pair. Mao Mao crouched as his head snapped to his right, looking for the speaker. Waving back at him was Penny and Benny, their hands firmly clasped around one another.

“Are you participating in the parade?” Benny asked.

“I didn’t know you two were official!” Penny said.

“Well, uh…” Mao Mao paused.

_ ‘I wouldn’t deny us being in a relationship if anyone asked’ _

_ ‘You promised.’ _

“I guess we just… kept it a secret up until now,” Mao Mao said with a nervous laugh. “Badgerclops and I go back... quite a while, actually.”

Despite the sudden panic that he felt upon the ‘discovery’, voicing his status to someone else felt better than he expected. A knot began to unravel in his chest, leaving him feeling a little lighter. It was liberating. Empowering, even.

“How romantic! You should have told us sooner!” Penny said, pressing a paw against her cheek.

“Indeed!” Benny nodded. “We would love to have you over for dinner some time.”

“Oh, let’s talk about that  _ after _ the parade,” Penny said, waving her free paw. “We must keep the parade moving!”

“Alright, talk to y’all later,” Badgerclops said with a wave, watching as the couple happily marched down the road. Turning from the pair, he smiled down at Mao Mao.

“That wasn’t so bad, right?”

“Yeah…” Mao Mao said, still reluctant to embrace how he felt, but unable to deny the relief that followed his worry.

“Do you still wanna do the hand-holding thing? Because, like, I don’t wanna force you to—”

“Yes. Yes I would.”

Badgerclops’ smile widened. “Alright, then! I should get us some flags to hold on to while we march!”

“Flags?”

“Like I was trying to explain a second ago! Each of these flags represents an identity. You already know the rainbow one, but there’s other flags for people who swing all sorts of ways.”

“Is there a flag for people who…” Mao Mao trailed, unsure of how he wanted to word his preferences.

“For people who like guys  _ and _ girls?”

Mao Mao nodded.

“Totally!” Badgerclops said, pointing to a flag adjacent to one of the many rainbow-colored flags. “See that one? The pink and blue one with a purple stripe in the middle?”

“Yeah?”

“That represents bisexuals!”

“Am I, uh…” Mao Mao hesitated.

“Bi?”

“Yeah, that.”   


“I mean, like, I can’t tell you who you are, but if you feel like that describes you then go for it!”

“Wow,” Mao Mao remarked, a smile spreading across his face. “I didn’t know there was a term for that. I guess that… makes sense.”

“It feels good to be able to put words to it, huh?” Badgerclops asked, giving Mao Mao’s hand a squeeze.

“It does,” Mao Mao nodded. “It feels really good, actually.”

“Still think it’s pointless?”

“...No.” Mao Mao shook his head slowly. “I think I understand, now. If events like these help people figure out who they are, and give them a chance—not only to discover themselves, but be proud of who they are—then... I wish I would’ve known about it sooner.”

“That’s the spirit!” Badgerclops said, beaming at the sheriff.

“Is that you, sheriff?” another voice asked from behind. Mao Mao turned once more, now with confidence, to see Muffins approaching with Scoops the news anchor in tow.

“That’s right, Muffins. Badgerclops and I wanted to participate in the parade, so we’re doing it while pulling security.”

“What a story!” Scoops exclaimed, holding a hand out in front of her and slowly panning it. “Sheriff and Deputy go Steady!”

“Hold on, now,” Muffins shook her head, “that’s for them to tell. It would be a breach of their privacy to make a tabloid about it.”

“Yeah,” Badgerclops nodded, “Mao Mao and I have kept it lowkey for a while. We don’t wanna make a big deal out of it.”

“Well, I think you two are very cute together!” Muffins said. “I always had a feeling, I suppose, but I never truly knew how close you two were.”

“Thanks, Muffins,” Mao Mao said, giving her a polite nod. “And, uh, not to pry but… since when did you start…” He pointed a finger between her and Scoops.

“Oh, this? Well, I suppose we were also keeping it ‘lowkey’ for a while, as you say.” Muffins giggled.

“I’d come to crash at her place after work, and things just kinda happened,” Scoops said with a shrug.

Muffins nodded. “It really is that simple sometimes.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Mao Mao said, looking at Badgerclops.

“Well, it’s great to see you two out here getting involved!” Muffins said. “You can fall in behind us if you’d like! I didn’t see anyone else trying to catch up.” 

“How about it?” Mao Mao asked, smiling at his partner.

Badgerclops returned a smile. “You ready?”

“More than ready. It’s about time people knew about us.”

“I think I saw Slim and Pinky handing out some flags up the road. We could snatch some from them on the way.”

“Y’know, I’ve got a better idea,” Mao Mao said, glancing towards a nearby street lamp. Two flags were draped along the side— A rainbow flag alongside a flag of pink, blue and purple. Leaping towards them, he snatched the flags from where they were hung. Balling the rainbow flag up, he tossed it towards Badgerclops.

“Uh... what are you doing?” Badgerclops asked.

“Just follow my lead,” Mao Mao said, bringing the other flag behind him. He grabbed two corners of the flag and crossed them over his chest, running one tail under the other and pulling it into a small, tight knot over his neck.

“Oh!” Badgerclops exclaimed as he fashioned himself a similar cape, “I get it! Cool idea, Mao.”

Rejoining the deputy at his side, Mao Mao offered him a paw. “Ready to go?”

“This is a lot… louder than I expected you to be, dude. You sure you’re cool with it?”

“Of course I am!” Mao Mao declared. “This is who we are, right? Let’s own up to it.”

Badgerclops gave the sheriff’s hand a squeeze. “Let’s roll.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to HauntedClock for helping me iron out the conversations in this chapter! And a special shout-out to ships everywhere, you are all valid on this blessed month of Pride.


	3. Who I am

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are moving forward! But there's someone who Mao Mao needs to tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, where does the time go? Pride Week has come and gone and I'm only halfway through. That's life, I suppose. Regardless, I'm pressing on with the prompts I wanted to do, including this which ended up ballooning into a climax of sorts, hence the longer time. Shout-out to HauntedClock for helping me with the story! Your counsel is always appreciated.

A strong, late-spring breeze blew through the main room of the Sheriff’s Department. With the sliding doors having been manually removed, the open doorway doubled as a wind tunnel, billowing in a refreshing wind. Mao Mao watched the entrance to the door in anticipation, nervously twiddling the corner of his cape between his digits. Badgerclops kept his eye on the sheriff, his face sharing a similar expression of vague concern.

“You nervous, Mao?” Badgerclops spoke up.

  
“Nervous?” Mao Mao let out a short laugh, “what would I have to be nervous about? It’s just my parents.”

Badgerclops watched Mao Mao as he continued to fidget, his nervous ticks betraying his emotions. He knew why he would feel this way; it was the very reason why Mao Mao invited his parents over in the first place. It wasn’t just that it had been a while since they had met; they had something to discuss. Mao Mao hadn’t realized how long it had been since he had a formal, long conversation with his parents until a few days ago.

“You’re ready to tell ‘em?”

Mao Mao sighed. “I... I think so.”

“How do you think they’ll take it?”

“Well,” Mao Mao swallowed hard, turning to his partner, “the worst thing they can do is disown me, right? Exile me from the Mao clan, label me as a disgrace to the family and snap me off of the proverbial family tree like a dead limb suffering from blight—”

“Hey,” Badgerclops interrupted, grasping the sheriff’s shoulders, “quit talking like that. None of that is gonna happen. You’re working yourself up over nothing.”

“I did say that was the  _ worst _ case.”

Despite his assurances, Badgerclops could see the glistening in the sheriff’s wide, vermilion eyes. He wasn’t espousing a worst case scenario for the sake of saying it. He was bracing for it.

“Man…” Badgerclops murmured, pulling Mao Mao towards him, “don’t be that way.”

Mao Mao allowed himself to be immersed in his deputy’s chest. “I’m not  _ being _ anything.”

Badgerclops drew his arms around Mao Mao, patting him on his shoulder blades.

“You’re scared.”

“I am.”

It had been several months since they had begun growing close. Time had flown by, especially after they took up their positions as defenders of Pure Heart Valley, and likewise they had begun to transition their thoughts. Taking in slow, steady breaths from within his partner’s chest fur, Mao Mao mentally acknowledged that they were more than just “more-than-friends”.

“I really left them out of the loop,” Mao Mao remarked as he pulled his head free. “My mother probably thinks I’m still dating Tanya.”

“How’d she feel about that?”

“Eh…” Mao Mao extended the digits of a paw and tilted it.   


  
Badgerclops smirked. “She doesn’t like bad girls?”

“I told her she was  _ morally ambiguous _ ,” Mao Mao gestured with air quotes

“What’d she have to say about that?”

Mao Mao chuckled. “She said she was a ‘vigilante with no respect for the rule of law’.”

“So  _ that’s _ where you got that from. I knew that didn’t sound like you.”

Mao Mao laughed as he nuzzled into his deputy once more. “She always had a particular way of speaking.”

“ _ Mao-ya! _ ”

Badgerclops unfurled himself as Mao Mao shot off of him. The sheriff spiraled into the air as the strong, feminine voice reached their ears. They had both been caught off-guard, but the inflection seemed to trigger something within the feline. The curt, snappy expression rang clear through to the back of his mind, bringing him back to his days of being scolded as a child.

As the parabola of the Sheriff’s flight pattern reached its peak, Badgerclops sprung into action. He shot his roboarm into the air and grasped Mao Mao by his sash. Grasping him tightly, Badgerclops brought Mao Mao’s fall to a stop. With Badgerclops’ hands full, and Mao Mao stuck hanging in the air, they both had ample opportunity to direct their attention towards the doorway, where two new felines stood.

The first person, who Mao Mao and Badgerclops immediately recognized, was Shin. He had come without his battle suit, foregoing the loud heroic mech for baggy jeans and a well-worn plaid button-down. He smiled at the pair as he raised a paw in greeting. “Hey, kiddo. Hope we didn’t give you and your friend there too much of a scare!”

He shared a laugh with the woman next to him, patting her on the back as she reached a paw down to pat his. She was a head taller than him, but still a hair shorter than Mao Mao. Her body type resembled the sheriff’s: wide hips and a slightly pronounced midsection. Her legs were mostly obscured by a denim skirt, while her upper half was adorned with a solid sunflower-colored blouse. She raised a paw to her face, removing a pair of sunglasses and hanging them on the neck of her shirt collar.

“ _ Omma _ !” Mao Mao exclaimed, starting to regain his senses, “ _ onjey wasso _ ?”

“Just arrived,” the woman replied. “We heard you talking as we come up the hill. Shin and I thought it would be fun to sneak up on you.”

“Looks like we still got it!” Shin said as the two shared another brief chuckle.

“I didn’t expect you two so soon—“ Mao Mao swung in the air as he hung from his deputy’s grip “—Badgerclops put me down!”

With a slight huff, Badgerclops released his hold on the feline. Mao Mao’s paws thumped against the floor as he landed on all-fours. The floorboards creaked under him as he thrust himself off the ground, Landing upright in front of his parents.

“Mother, father, uh…” Mao Mao hesitated, his thoughts abandoning him.

“Mao Mao!” His mother exclaimed, throwing her arms around him and pulling him into a spine-popping embrace.

“It’s been too long since I seen you. I didn’t know my son has grown up so handsome!”

“Yeah,” Mao Mao sighed, “I’m sorry about that. It’s been a busy year or… so. And, please!” Mao Mao blinked before following up, “I’m not… that handsome.”

“Debatable,” Badgerclops interjected.

After shooting a glance towards his deputy, Mao Mao began to give in to his mother’s embrace. Mao Mao’s mother rubbed her son’s back as she hummed. Mao Mao’s guard became similarly lax, allowing himself to lean into her as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

“Your father said you’re a sheriff! I’m so proud of you!”

“Thanks, ma.”

“He also said you have a deputy and apprentice.”

“Yeah, I guess you could say that,” Mao Mao said, gently pulling himself away from his mother to arm’s length. “Mom,” Mao Mao began, gesturing a palm towards the couch, “this is Badgerclops.”

Badgerclops waved at Mao Mao’s mother, giving her a placid smile. “Hello!”

She returned the gesture, giving a slight bow. “Badgerclops, my name is Mao Mi-young, but you can call me ‘Mi’!”

“Oh, sure thing, Mi- uh, Mrs. Mi... Mao.” Badgerclops laughed nervously.

“It’s about time you shot us an invite,” Shin said as he slapped his son on the back. “Your mother was about to come down herself!”

Mao Mao looked back at his mother. “Really, ma?”

“You shouldn’t worry your mother,” she chided with a quick double-pat against her son’s cheek.

“You’re right,” Mao Mao murmured, resting a paw on top of his mother’s. “It was unfair to you—to both of you—to keep you out of the loop for so long.” Mao Mao exhaled as his shoulders drooped. “Gosh, a lot has changed. I don’t even know where to start.”   
  
“Hold up,” Badgerclops said, sitting up. “Wasn’t that why your dad visited a while back?”

Shin put his paws in front of him, waving frantically at the badger. He shot his paws back down with similar speed as Mi glared towards her husband.

“You said they weren’t home.”

“Right,” Shin laughed nervously as he withdrew further into the room, “I did a quick swing by and… well, they were fine and it wasn’t a long visit so…”

“ _ aish, _ ” Mi seethed before clicking her teeth. Mao Mao felt her body shift, turning towards Shin with no small amount of anger. He brought himself into his mother’s arms again, now serving as a barrier to what would undoubtedly become a one-sided shouting match.

“ _ Omma _ !  _ Omma _ ,” Mao Mao said in a harsh whisper as he grasped her shoulders. “Relax, it’s fine! Look, I’m fine, nothing’s wrong, so now you know, right? Don’t get upset.”

Huffing, she ceased her attempts to move forward, but maintained her glowering stare at Shin. Mao Mao interposed with his head, staring at her with the same bright, full eyes he remembered flashing at her when he tried to get ‘off the hook’ for misbehaving. He brought a hand between them and crossed his thumb and pointer finger, forming the bottom half of a heart. “ _ Saranghae _ .”

Having her gaze redirected towards him, Mao Mao felt beads of sweat begin to form on his brow. Even now, he felt like a kitten underneath the piercing look. The corners of his mouth twitched as his fur stood on end, awaiting a response.

Mi’s chest decompressed as her look softened. She pulled the corner of her mouth into a slight smile and lightly slapped Mao Mao on the chest directly below his shoulder. “Alright. If you say so.  _ Saranghae _ .”

Badgerclops shuffled to his feet. “I’m gonna go grab some chairs from the kitchen.”

* * *

For as long as it had been, there was surprisingly little to catch up on. Between his falling out with Tanya, which Mi seemed to take more than a little pleasure from, and his partnership with Badgerclops, there wasn’t much to say. As fun as it was to look back to his traveling days, he and Badgerclops had much more to say about Pure Heart Valley. Most of their end of the conversation was focused around the Valley and its citizens, both problematic and unique, as well as the multitude of ways in which they had protected them. They successfully omitted their involvement in the land’s initial imperilment, but also had the opportunity to speak at length about their absent member as well.

“...And then we make her a nice breakfast every morning before sending her off to school,” Mao Mao concluded.

“Well I’ll be, son,” Shin began as he leaned forward on his chair, “You’re starting to sound like a father.”

Mi nodded her head in agreement. “I’m happy to see you two are good with children.”

“Yeah,” Mao Mao trailed, shooting a glance at Badgerclops, who winked in response, “I suppose we are.”

“No supposing from me,” Shin pointed a paw at Mao Mao. “Sounds like you’ve really taken to her. The both of you. It’s…” Shin hesitated before giving another chuckle.

“Right…” Mao Mao glanced to the side. He swallowed hard, feeling a knot forming in his throat. Grasping the upholstery of the couch, he scooted forward and started to place his hind paws on the ground. A curt, “ _ I need to use the restroom _ ” was caught in his throat, but he was cut short. His fur spiked outwards as he took in a steep exhale; the feeling of something constricting itself around his paw, grasping it tightly, immobilized him. He turned towards the source of the disturbance, meeting Badgerclops’ firm but encouraging gaze. The deputy gave him a nod, the beginning of a smile forming on his face. Mao Mao’s eyes shrunk, and a cold sweat began to take him. His mouth trembled as he silently pleaded with his compatriot, mentally begging him to let him go. He was given no such solace.

Mao Mao’s paws felt sweaty, and the back of his throat felt dry. A spell of nausea began to wash over him as his breaths became uneven. The color drained from his face, and the nub of his tail began to flick from side to side, a feature of his body he thought he had lost the ability to process ages ago.   


  
“I—uh…”

“Son, what’s wrong?” Shin asked, giving his son a concerned look.

“Are you feeling sick? You look sick,” Mi said, starting to rise from her seat. “Sit. I'll feel your forehead.”

“No!” Mao Mao blurted out, just a little bit too loud for the room, “No, I’m… I’m fine.” He finished his sentence meekly, holding a shaky paw in front of himself.

“I…” Mao Mao’s eyes unfocused, feeling thoroughly humiliated, “Ah, man.”

Yanking his paw free, Mao Mao endeavored to leap to his feet once more. This time; however, he found himself being held down by his mother. Mi placed her paws on Mao Mao’s shoulders, keeping him seated as she gave him a long, hard stare.

“ _ Mao-ya, omma bwa. Musun iliya _ ?”

It was the moment of truth. His pupils were locked onto his mother’s, his gaze wavering but unable to avert itself. The nausea ebbed, replaced with a swelling of emotion that threatened to make him break down in his mother’s arms. He tried and failed to speak, opening his mouth only to close it before he choked out a sob.

A third arm made its presence known, rubbing his back under his cape. The motions mimicked that of his mother, yet he knew her hands had not drifted from his shoulders. He didn’t have to try and look to know its source. Mao Mao immediately recognized the gentle brushing of a huge paw pad across his back, and the gentle scratching of well-filed claws against his dense fur.

“I’m—” Mao Mao choked out a soft laugh, sniffling as a smile crept across his face, “ I’m sorry, ma. Nothing’s wrong. I have good news, actually.”

Mi blinked, cocking her head to the side.

“Ma, I met someone. Someone really special, and we, uh... we’re gonna…”

“Mao Mao,” Mi muttered, her emerald eyes beginning to glisten as her mouth trembled, “Are you…” she glanced towards the ground for a moment, her brow furrowing. “Er… ing…  _ Yakhon _ ?”

“Yes!” Mao Mao announced, placing his paws on his mother’s shoulders. “I’m engaged, mom!”

As happy as he was to have finally said it, a part of him immediately wished he had been more casual about it. He saw his mother’s knees begin to buckle, causing her to fall towards him. Acting on reflex, he caught the collapsing feline and traded places with her. As he rose, he guided her towards the couch and sat her down.

“Well, I’ll be,” Shin spoke up, coming alongside Mao Mao. “That’s one way to make an announcement. Very Mao-Clan of you.” He wasn’t sure if his father’s quip was mean-spirited or not until he felt his father give him a pat on the back.

“Yeah…” Mao Mao muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as the color returned to his face. His cheeks flared as he began to process the emotions of the last several moments.

“So, who’s the catch?”

Mao Mao blinked. “Well, I already introduced you,” Mao Mao said, walking towards his partner. He bent down slightly, taking one of Badgerclops’ paws between two of his. Badgerclops rose, putting his paw around Mao Mao’s back as the sheriff responded in kind. “Mom, dad, Badgerclops is more than my partner. He was my first true, life-long friend. More than that, he was the first person to make me feel… comfortable with myself. He’s the first person who I feel like I can be  _ me _ with.”

Shin tried to smile, but Mao Mao could tell that it was forced. His fears of a worst-case scenario began to eat at him, chipping away at the happiness that he was riding on. His smile began to falter, and for a moment he considered leaving it at that. He didn’t want to get into an argument, or make the situation worse than it might have already been turning out to be.

But he couldn’t stop there. Like a mental slap across the face, a new feeling began to churn in his chest, surging confidence twinged with an indignant flare. His grip on his partner’s back tightened as he took a half-step forward, clenching his free paw into a fist until the leather of his glove began to strain.

“And I know that might not be what you expected to hear—or, or maybe it wasn’t what you  _ wanted _ to hear, papa, but I’ve already made up my mind.”

Shin’s forced smile began to drop.

“You should know, more than anyone, that I didn’t have the easiest childhood growing up, and I’ve had plenty more days of feeling sad and worthless than days where I actually felt  _ proud _ of myself.”

Mao Mao took another step forward, sliding his other paw off of Badgerclops’ back. Raising his clenched paw to point at his father, he clenched his free paw against his side.

  
“Son,” Shin began, “that—”

“So you don’t have to bother telling me if that embarrasses you,” Mao Mao interrupted, “or if you’re ashamed of me, or any of that. If I have to choose between what you, the family, or anyone thinks, other than Badgerclops and I? Then I’m choosing the man I love, and ain’t nothin’ gonna stop me. You got that? This is who I am, and you better believe I’m  _ dang _ proud of myself.”

Shin’s smile had faded completely, replaced with a thoroughly pained expression. His paws began to splay outwards, hanging in a conciliatory manner.

  
“Son, that’s not what I’m worried about at all!”

  
Mao Mao dropped his pointing paw, raising an eyebrow. “It’s not?”

“No, no!” Shin shook his head. “Son, I couldn’t be  _ more  _ proud of you for how you’ve turned out, and for your decision to get hitched with Badger…” Shin darted his eyes from side to side, “Badger-fella. You have my full support in that regard.”

“Then... then why weren’t you smiling?” Mao Mao asked, the malice in his voice replaced with confusion.

“Because, son… you guys are partners. You two depend on one another in combat, and now on top of that you’re raising a kid. What’s gonna happen to ‘em if you two get seriously hurt? What if one of you—”

“You know that won’t happen, papa.” Mao Mao interjected, closing the distance between the two of them. “I know that won’t happen, for two reasons. One,” Mao Mao held up a digit, “because I’m a legend, and legends never die. Two,” Mao Mao put a paw on Shin’s shoulder, “I learned from the best. I can handle anything.”

“Son…” Shin muttered, smiling up at his son. Mao Mao noticed the way his father looked at him, perhaps the first time his father had ever looked at him in such a way that he could remember. There was a soft genuineness to his father’s amber eyes. A respect—pride, even—that radiated from his returning smile. Mao Mao threw his other arm around his father, lifting him off of the ground in a bear hug. He shut his eyes tight as he squeezed his father against his chest.

“I know it’s a little late to make up for all of that stuff, but…” Shin whispered, patting his son on the back, “I want you to know that I’m really, truly proud of you. I couldn’t have asked for a better son, and your mom and I are as happy as could be to hear that you’re engaged.”

Mao Mao’s eyes shot open. “That’s right, Mom!”

Mao Mao set his father down and sprang over to the couch. Badgerclops had turned his arm into a fan, blowing cool air onto her face as he sat next to her. She had only just begun to stir, laughing softly to herself.

“Mom,” Mao Mao said, leaning in close, “are you okay?”   
  


Mi continued to laugh, reaching out a paw to pat her son on his forehead. She ruffled his hair as her eyes fluttered open, giving her son a knowing smile.

“I’m fine. What were you saying? You are en...engaged?”

Mao Mao nodded, smiling. “I am.”

“I had a feeling.”

“Wh-” Mao Mao recoiled a bit, “how?”   


  
“A mother knows her children.” Mi stated in a calm, sagely voice. Leaning forward, she whispered into Mao Mao’s ear, “ _ gurigo, anajuossuldae, osori naemse nasso _ .”

Mao Mao pulled his cape towards his nose, smelling it. The fabric had the distinct smell of his partner.

“I’m so happy for you, Mao Mao,” Mi continued, reaching for her son. Mao Mao obliged, casting his cape behind him and giving his mother another hug. “Thank you for telling us. I feel like the happiest mom in the world.”

“This is quite the news, boy,” Shin said, coming up behind his son and putting an arm around him. “Looks like you’re starting a family of your own. I can’t say I thought this day would come so soon.”

Mao Mao turned to respond, only to find that Badgerclops was bringing his arms around the three of them in an all-encompassing hug. He brought the felines closer together, snuggling against Mao Mao’s head. “So I guess we’re gonna be, like, a family now!”

“We are, Badgerclops,” Mao Mao said, smiling despite the growing claustrophobia.

Shin did his best to place a hand on Badgerclops’ shoulder, looking towards him. “I’d be happy to call you my son-in-law.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two points about this chapter I didn't elaborate on:  
> 1\. "Why is their door gone?" - Mao Mao assumed Shin would show up in his armor and break the front entrance again. I didn't get to write in Mao Mao showing that specific kind of surprise.  
> 2\. "What the fuck is Mi saying?" - Everyone's got their little headcanons for the Mao clan, right? I see them as pan-Asian, and specifically I style Mamma Mao as Korean, hence the Korean name and, surprise, she spoke Korean! I tried to write it in such a way that the meaning could be inferred, but I will provide translations for the phrases below in case you wanted something absolute.
> 
> "onjey wasso" - When did you arrive?  
> "Omma" - Mom (informal)  
> "Saranghae" - I love you  
> "Omma bwa. Musun iliya?" - Look at mom (in this context, 'look at me'). What's wrong?  
> "yakhon" - Engaged  
> "gurigo, anajuossuldae, osori naemse nasso." - And, when I hugged you, it smelled like Badger


	4. Marriage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day has come, and Mao Mao just needs to put the finishing touches on his outfit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to HauntedClock for looking this over!

The old wood of the foggy window creaked as it was forced upwards. A slight breeze came whispering through the open space, filtering past the window’s tiny mesh screen. Mao Mao rested there just long enough to take a breath, short and restless, before spinning back around. He had turned the room upside down in his search, but even as he ran out of places to look, he still couldn’t find it.

His cape, neatly pressed and starched, rested over the back of a wooden chair. The cape, a simple yet elegant recolor of his usual garb, perfectly complemented his white tuxedo. He knew it was customary to wear black, but considering that his fur was the same shade of most of the suits that were available, he decided that the contrasted colors would be much more visually appealing.

On that point, he was obviously correct. From his neck to his hind paws, he looked ravishing. Not only did he clean up well, he looked good by default. The fine lapel, the tight black monster-leather belt, and the neatly-creased pants that were custom-tailored for his anatomy, suited him perfectly. Only one more thing was needed to make his ensemble perfect.

“Stupid rose,” Mao Mao snarled through barred teeth, “you’ve gotta be around here somewhere!”

For what felt like the fifth time in the last minute, Mao Mao stuck his head under the table and scanned the floor. On top of the table, in front of a mirror, sat a small, clear vase. It was filled halfway up with mineral water, and a healthy, plump stem of a rose poked out from the top. The head was missing, having been cleanly snipped off by a pair of scissors that now rested beside the vase. That was, of course, intentional. The rose’s flower was to serve as a decoration on his chest pocket. He had set it on the table a short time ago, leaving it be for only a minute as he went to check on the status of the reception, but when he returned, he discovered that it had vanished.

Visibly frustrated, Mao Mao slunk into the chair and began to undo his bow tie. He tossed the crumpled white fabric onto the table and undid the top button of his shirt. He wanted to run his paws through his hair, but he didn’t want to ruin his neatly-combed fur. Instead, he planted an elbow on the table and rested his cheek against his paw. His eyes scanned his surroundings as his other paw’s digits rapped against the table, his claws leaving millimeter-sized holes in the wood with each staccatoed tap.

The clock on the wall read 11:45. The ceremony was to start in fifteen minutes, and he couldn’t feel less prepared. Even if it were just one simple element of his attire, he would settle for nothing less than perfection. Not only was that what was expected of him, it was what his partner deserved. It was his wedding too, after all. It wouldn’t do to present himself to his groom-to-be in anything but his absolute best—his purest, most pristine form.

He shut his eyes tight, bringing a paw to his face as he rubbed his temple. He needed that rose. It had to be around here somewhere.

Taking in another slow, resolved breath, Mao Mao cracked his eyes open in thin slits. The blurred, brown wood of the table that he expected to see was disrupted by a bright red blob towards the center of his vision. He quickly blinked his eyes a couple of times before opening them wide. As if by divine providence, the rose that he sought was laying on the table in front of him. Its petals were flushed with color, turning only the faintest hue of pink at its youngest tips. The stem was still full of life, still a vibrant vermilion that glistened in the sunlight. It was even better than he thought it looked.

Snatching the rose in a paw, he gazed at it with mild annoyance. He passed the folds of the flower between his digits as he thought to himself, then with a final “Hmph,” he tossed it towards the center of the room.

Smoke erupted from the flower, dousing the room in a thick fog. It seemed to hang in mid-air as the cloud swallowed it up, held aloft by its own propulsion. A pair of paws thumped against the floor. The rose was gone, replaced with an all-too-familiar silhouette. As the smoke dispersed, the figure brought its paws to its neck, adjusting something as its tail flicked behind it.

“No fooling you, hm?”

“Tanya,” Mao Mao grumbled, “this is really not the time for your hijinks.”

The Tanuki, now fully visible, shook her head as she produced a leaf from her scarf. She held it out by its stem, and in a much smaller puff of smoke the leaf morphed into another, slightly less dazzling rose flower.

“No hijinks today, Mittens. Just wanted to say hello.”

Mao Mao took the rose from her outstretched paw and placed it in his chest pocket. Before he could start adjusting it, Tanya had strode forward and began to affix it.

“You know I can do it myself, right?” Mao Mao grumbled.

“I know you can,” Tanya nodded, beginning to straighten his lapel, “but I think it’d be faster if you let me take care of it.”

As Tanya continued to fix him up, Mao Mao’s thoughts began to dwell on his ex; in particular, how she found out.

“I don’t think you RSVP’d,” Mao Mao said, trying to sound casual.

“Not through you, no,” Tanya shook her head, looking up at Mao Mao. “Your fiancé hooked me up.”

Mao Mao blinked. “Why would he—”   


  
Tanya interrupted him with a paw on his shoulder. “I’m happy for you.”

Mao Mao met Tanya’s eyes, feeling his face grow warm. “Uh... thanks.”

“It’s about time you two got hitched,” Tanya continued, pulling on Mao Mao’s collar, “you know he’s been looking forward to this for months, now.”

“We’ve only been planning this for the last month or so.”

“Maybe  _ you _ have,” Tanya reached past Mao Mao, retrieving his bow tie. “He’s been giddy planning out the details ever since you two first started talking about getting engaged.”   
  
“Oh yeah?”

Tanya nodded. “We’ve been pen pals ever since my last little visit.” Tanya giggled. “We had to fill the dead air while we waited for you to catch up, so we started talking about ‘ya. One thing led to another and, well…”

Mao Mao felt the blushing in his face deepen. He dropped eye contact, putting a paw to the back of his neck. “W-what’d he tell you?”

She finished tying the bow tie, pulling the strands into its final knot and patting Mao Mao on his chest. “You two are definitely made for each other.”

“You think so?”

“Don’t get me wrong,” Tanya said, grabbing Mao Mao’s cape from the chair, “you’re a fun guy. A…  _ reliable _ friend, and a pleasure to work with, but... well, don’t tell him I told you, but he is head-over-heels for ‘ya.”

Mao Mao’s ego begged him to go on. “What, uh… what makes you say that?”

“How did I know you’d ask?” Tanya quipped as she slowly drew the cape around Mao Mao’s back. “Well, first of all, he told me you’re the first guy who’s ever believed in him. I thought it was a little weird how he described it—like he was your own little rescue project. But I found out pretty quick that he’s hardly a subordinate. If anything, it sounds like he keeps you in line when you get to being, well, yourself.”

Mao Mao half-heartedly swatted her paw away as she playfully poked him on the nose. “He definitely wasn’t a  _ rescue project _ . I needed a traveling companion, and he wanted redemption. Two birds, one stone.”

“And,” Tanya dusted the sheriff’s shoulders, “for all the fights you two have had, you always manage to make it up to one another. I’m sure you remember how we got into things way back when, but the way Badgerclops describes it to me, it sounds like you’ve changed a lot. There’s a lot more compassion and empathy in those big green eyes of yours nowadays. You really, genuinely care for him, don’t you?”

Mao Mao’s ears dipped, his mouth spreading into a small smile. “I do.”

“That’s great, honestly. If there’s anyone in this world that can handle you, my bet’s on the big guy.”

Tanya laughed as Mao Mao gave her a playful push. His smile grew along with the reddening in his face as he briefly acknowledged the trials that he and Badgerclops had been through to get here. He had recognized what Tanya had told him before she said it, but the outside perspective made it more tangible in his mind; all of the small, tender moments they shared during their campaigns began to stick out to him, vindicating that they were meant to be from the start.

The clock read 11:55. He had to go.

“Thank you, Tanya. I’m glad you could make it. It’s a surprise, but… a pleasant one.”

“My pleasure. I’d love to take a seat and watch, but I don’t want your mother catching me. I’ll be in the rafters.”

“If it was anyone else, I’d fight for you.”

Tanya nodded. “Don’t worry, I understand.”

  
  
“Well,” Mao Mao said, looking down at his suit, “how do I look?”

Tanya gave him a final once-over, looking at him from bottom to top. “You look perfect.”

“Alright,” Mao Mao said, taking a step towards the door and clutching the knob with a paw, “let’s do this.”


	5. Self-Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Badgerclops, Mao Mao, and Adorabat begin the rest of their lives together.

Badgerclops spoke in a low, even voice, barely rising above the ambient noise of the room. “Seven. Fourteen. Eight-point-five. Six-over-thirteen.”

Adorabat furiously scribbled on the paper, kicking up bits of graphite as she wrote the numbers that the deputy relayed to her in sequence.

Mao Mao hummed to himself as he waited for the toaster to spring. Everything else had been laid out on the table—omelettes, cereal, milk, salt, hot sauce. All that was left was the toast, and yet another perfect breakfast would be finished.

Badgerclops was painfully aware of this fact, and endeavored to keep his voice steady as he and Adorabat worked against their depleting time.

“Three, eighteen, unsolvable—wait,” Badgerclops stopped himself, “when did y’all start doing algebra?”   
  
“Badgerclops!” Adorabat whispered harshly, “C’mon!”

  
The toaster sprung, sending the lever upwards with a metallic clank. The toast soared above Mao Mao’s head, prompting him to pursue it with a turn of his heel and an outstretched plate. Badgerclops reacted with similar speed, grabbing Adorabat’s homework and hiding it under his arms as he sprawled himself onto the table.   
  
“Gotcha!” Mao Mao announced, plating the airborne toast with an effortless leap. Landing, he slid the small dish onto the middle of the table and reclined in his seat.

  
“Alright, y’all, dig in.” Mao Mao blinked, his brow furrowing. “And what did I say about ‘no elbows on the table’, Badgerclops?”

  
“Uh,” Badgerclops’ voice wavered, his eye darting around, “butter!”   


  
Mao Mao raised an eyebrow. “What?”   


  
“You forgot the butter for the toast!”

Several long seconds passed between the two of them. Mao Mao’s look softened, his eyes widening.

  
“Oh, yeah. One sec.”   
  
Badgerclops flashed his partner the most disarming, placid smile he could muster. The moment Mao Mao turned his back, Badgerclops stole Adorabat’s pencil from the table and finished the last line of answers. Making his final marks with deft strokes, he dropped the now-smoking pencil. Extending his roboarm, he slid the paper into Adorabat’s backpack and clasped it shut.

“Thanks, Badgerclops!” Adorabat whispered.

Badgerclops retracted his arm, nuzzling her head. “If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’.”

Slamming the refrigerator door shut with his thigh, Mao Mao returned to the table with a stick of butter and a butter knife. Setting the items in the center of the table, Mao Mao served himself and began to eat. Badgerclops dug in as well, clearing out most of what was left as he stacked his plate high. Adorabat unceremoniously dropped an omelette on top of a piece of toast, doused it in hot sauce, and shoved it in her mouth with an audible chomp.   
  
“Well, that was great, Mao Mao!” Adorabat muttered with a full mouth, “gotta go now!”   
  
Mao Mao checked his watch. “Oh, jeez, yeah. You do need to go. Are you sure you don’t want Badgerclops and I to give you a ride on the aerocycle?”

Adorabat shook her head. “No, it’s fine! I’ll make it. I’m practicing my sprinting!”   


  
“Man,” Badgerclops sighed through a similarly full mouth, “after I eat I feel like passing out. You’re totally sure?”

“Yep!” Adorabat said, already strapping her backpack to her shoulders.

“Alright,” Mao Mao nodded, setting his fork down and extending an arm out, “be safe, and don’t get into trouble. If a monster shows up, get ahold of us first.”

  
Adorabat flew into the sheriff’s outstretched arm, letting herself get pulled into a gentle embrace. “I will! Love you, Mao Mao!”   


  
Mao Mao planted a small kiss on her forehead. “Love you too. Now, get goin’!”

Adorabat bolted from the sheriff’s arm, deftly high-fiving Badgerclops’ outstretched paw as she rocketed out of the open door and soared down the hill. She caught the wind, letting it blow her towards the Valley at great speed. Mao Mao watched from the kitchen window as the blue blur sailed into the distance, a proud smile on his face.

  
Retaking his seat and tapping his fork against his plate, Mao Mao looked at his partner. “You shouldn’t be encouraging her to cheat.”

“C’mon, man. You know she didn’t get much sleep last night. We were out all afternoon doing sheriff stuff.”   
  


“We could’ve asked her teacher for an extension. She’s not going to learn if she doesn’t do it herself.”

Badgerclops shrugged. “Nobody knows everything, dude. Homies help homies out, know what I’m sayin’?”

Mao Mao hummed. “Your heart’s in the right place, at least. Just do me a favor and go over it with her when you both have time. She can’t cheat on the test.”

“Well,” Badgerclops trailed, giving the sheriff a smirk.

“Badgerclops, we are not interfering with Adorabat’s education. She has to learn to be responsible!”

“Alright, alright,” Badgerclops waved Mao Mao off, downing his last omelette. “I probably wasn’t even gonna build her an optic auto-problem-solver anyway.”

Mao Mao’s chair squeaked as it was thrust backwards. Badgerclops extended his robarm, collecting all of the dishes on the table and depositing them on top of Mao Mao’s.

“Thanks, hon.” Badgerclops said with a wink and a smile.

Huffing, Mao Mao collected the dishes and turned towards the sink. Setting the plates on the counter, he turned the hot water on and began to rinse them one-by-one. Mao Mao turned his head towards Badgerclops, giving him a smirk. “I’m starting to feel like a maid.”

“You make a good maid!” Badgerclops responded. Pushing his chair back as well, the deputy rose to his feet and made his way over to Mao Mao. He put his paws on Mao Mao’s shoulders, resting his chin on Mao Mao’s head.

A part of him wanted to protest, but a larger part of him enjoyed the physical contact too much to risk losing it. “Call it ‘cleaning associate’ instead, and I’ll agree.”

“Fine,” Badgerclops giggled, “you make a good ‘cleaning associate’. Happy?”

Mao Mao closed his eyes, smiling. “You have no idea.”

* * *

With the last of the dishes cleaned, the counter wiped, and the table cleared, Mao Mao and Badgerclops retired to the living room to enjoy the rest of their morning together. The previous night’s shenanigans had drained them considerably, leaving them with little desire to do more than take a nap on the couch. Settling into their spots, Badgerclops propped his feet on the table and turned on the morning news—the optimal channel for them to fall asleep to. As the morning weather report rattled on, thoroughly tuned out by their ears, Mao Mao scooched himself against Badgerclops’ side and nestled into his partner’s fur.

Badgerclops brought an arm around the sheriff, pulling him in tight. Mao Mao’s gloved paws snaked around the deputy, reaching around half of his midsection in a hug. Digging his head into Badgerclops’ side, he kept his only free eye half-open.

  
Badgerclops yawned. “Do we have anything goin’ on today?”   


  
“Nothing that can’t wait until the afternoon.”

“All I needed to hear,” Badgerclops sighed, sinking deeper into the couch. “You gonna set an alarm?”   


  
Mao Mao shook his head. “Nah. I think we can afford to take it easy for a day.”

Badgerclops turned towards Mao Mao, pressing the side of his face into the couch. “Roger that, homie.”

As Mao Mao’s eye drifted, his vision settled on the newest addition to their wall of photos. Above their myriad of old pictures sat a fresh memory, tucked behind a clean frame. Mao Mao, his white cape billowing behind his similarly white suit, held a bent-down Badgerclops by the sides of hibs face. The deputy’s attire was the same as ever, save for a quaint black bow tie that pushed against his neck. Their eyes were closed, and their mouths were pressed against one another.

Despite himself, he felt the start of a tear begin to form on the edge of his eye. Blinking it away, he cleared his throat.

  
“Badgerclops?”   


  
The deputy muttered, already half-asleep. “Mmm, yeah?”   


  
A lot of words hung in his throat. How much Badgerclops meant to him. How lucky he felt he was to have met him. How long he had waited to do this, and how excited he was to spend the rest of their lives together. Words too grandiose and complex to fit in such a quiet moment. Words that he had the rest of his time to say—that he had the rest of his life to prove.

“...I love you.”

Badgerclops squeezed the sheriff a little tighter. “I love you too…” Badgerclops paused.

“...cutie.”   


  
Mao Mao felt his face grow a bit warmer.   


  
“...pretty boy.” Badgerclops continued.

  
The sheriff exhaled, his smile widening. “Alright.”   


  
Badgerclops pressed on, petting the sheriff’s head with his other paw. “My precious lil’ kitty cat.”   


  
“Sto—p.” Mao Mao whined, chortling. “I can’t, with this.”

Badgerclops laughed, giving his partner a final pat. “Alright, I’ll save it for later.”

“Fine,” Mao Mao muttered, losing himself once more in the deputy’s side. “I’ll dread waking up, then.”

“Whatever, dude,” Badgerclops yawned, letting his paw fall to his side, “you love it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we have it! Finally, we've come to the end of our Pride Week special, and only... like, 9 days late. A huge thank-you to Mao Mao's Mother for hosting the event, and equally huge thank-you to HauntedClock for reading through all of these and providing helpful feedback, and, of course, a big thank-you to you for reading!


End file.
